Akron, Ohio (May 18, 2012)—GAR Foundation awarded $1,121,925 to 39 nonprofit organizations during its May 10 Distribution Committee meeting, with the largest grant award supporting a Summit County kindergarten readiness program.
Greenleaf Family Center was awarded $120,000 for SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids), a kindergarten readiness program for three- and four year-old children. SPARK helps children prepare for kindergarten by addressing educational, developmental and social-emotional needs, while empowering parents to become their child’s first, most important teacher. The program serves as a catalyst or ‘spark’ to help at-risk children become ready for school, help schools become ready for children, and increase community systems of care. The grant reflects the Foundation’s continuing support of local early childhood education initiatives and education in general.
The Foundation’s commitment to education extends to supporting systemic change and innovation in the field. An award of $17,000 was made to the Summit County Educational Service Center for their Learning Leaders of Summit County: A Principals’ Academy II. The program exposes principals and lead teachers to new leadership and classroom instructional skills in an effort to not only improve the performance of their students, but also serve as positive change agents in their educational communities. “The Learning Leaders program helps to give principals the tools they need to lead in good times and bad,” said Christine Mayer, President of GAR Foundation. “With the Ohio Department of Education’s new evaluation standards for students and teachers due to be implemented in the next couple years, the need for strong leadership and an engaged educational workforce is more critical now than ever,” said Mayer.
The following organizations received grant awards during the Distribution Committee’s May 10, 2012 meeting:
|
Organization |
Amount |
Purpose of Grant |
|
Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank |
$50,000* |
Operations |
|
Apollo's Fire, The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra |
$17,500 |
For Summit County performances |
|
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Western Reserve |
$70,000 |
Operations |
|
Child Guidance & Family Solutions |
$29,100 |
For the Toddlers and Preschoolers Succeeding Program |
|
Children's Concert Society of Akron |
$22,000* |
For operations and the Concert Hall Series Outreach program |
|
The City of Akron |
$5,000 |
For summer arts programming |
|
Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy |
$10,000* |
For tuition assistance |
|
Emmanuel Christian Academy |
$30,000 |
For tuition assistance |
|
The Entrepreneurs EDGE, Inc. |
$15,000 |
For the EDGE Fellows Summer Intern Program |
|
First Glance Student Center, Inc. |
$25,000 |
Operations |
|
Friends of Metro Parks |
$7,500 |
For capacity-building |
|
Great Lakes Theater Festival, Inc. dba Great Lakes Theater |
$30,000 |
For the 2013 Surround Series |
|
Greenleaf Family Center fka Family Services of Summit County |
$120,000 |
For SPARK |
|
GroundWorks Dance Theater |
$15,000 |
For Summit County performances, outreach and education |
|
Hametown Baptist Church fbo Hametown Christian Academy |
$10,000 |
For tuition assistance |
|
He Brought Us Out Ministry dba North Hill Community House |
$25,000 |
Operations |
|
The Hiram House dba Hiram House |
$20,825 |
For camperships for Summit County children |
|
Interfaith Caregivers Program dba Faith in Action-Interfaith Caregivers |
$15,000 |
Operations |
|
Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio fka Junior Achievement of Akron Area, Inc. |
$30,000* |
Operations |
|
Keep Akron Beautiful |
$22,000 |
For operations to include an additional professional development pilot for Akron private/parochial schools |
|
Jerome Lippman Jewish Community Day School dba The Lippman School |
$10,000 |
For tuition assistance for Summit County students |
|
Mobile Meals, Inc. Foundation |
$50,000 |
Operations |
|
Musical Arts Association |
$100,000 |
For the 2012 Blossom Festival |
|
National Multiple Sclerosis Society-Ohio Buckeye Chapter |
$10,000 |
For the equipment and home modification program for Summit County residents with MS |
|
Ohio Grantmakers Forum |
$5,000 |
Operations |
|
Our Lady of the Elms School |
$10,000* |
For tuition assistance |
|
Planned Parenthood of Northeast Ohio |
$15,000 |
For capacity-building |
|
Proyecto RAICES |
$6,000 |
Operations |
|
Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs |
$10,000 |
For camperships |
|
The Salvation Army Summit County Area Services |
$100,000 |
For The Learning Zone |
|
Spring Garden Waldorf School |
$10,000 |
For tuition assistance |
|
St. Bernard-St. Mary School |
$40,000 |
For operations, teacher professional development, and tuition assistance |
|
Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens |
$30,000* |
For annual campaign |
|
Summit County Educational Service Center |
$17,000 |
For the Learning Leaders: Principals' Academy II |
|
United Way of Summit County |
$30,000 |
For the Bridges Out of Poverty Summit County Collaborative |
|
Urban Vision |
$25,000 |
For Set on Success: an after-school and summer enrichment program |
|
Victim Assistance Program |
$25,000 |
Operations and to match Victims of Crime Act funding |
|
Western Reserve Historical Society |
$30,000 |
For educational programming at Hale Farm & Village |
|
Youth Excellence Performing Arts Workshop |
$30,000 |
Operations |
*Indicates that part or all of the award is in the form of a challenge.
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Founded in 1967 as a charitable trust by Galen J. Roush, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Roadway Express, and his wife, Ruth, GAR Foundation has distributed over $200 million to date to local nonprofit organizations. GAR Foundation primarily funds five strategic areas: education, health and social services, civic enhancement, the arts and arts education, and nonprofit enhancement with a preference for funding programs and organizations which directly serve Summit County residents. For more information on GAR Foundation, go to www.garfoundation.org or call 330-576-2916.